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Oral Cancer Screening

Oral Cancer Screening

Oral Cancer is becoming an increasingly common condition. Oral or mouth cancer is essentially an uncontrollable multiplication of cells that spreads to surrounding tissues. Any part of the mouth may be affected such as the lips, the lining of the mouth, the tongue, the floor or roof of the mouth or the throat. Early diagnosis through oral cancer screening is crucial to prevent the spread or metastasis of cancerous cells to tissues all over the body.

What Are the Symptoms of Oral Cancer?

It may be diagnosed through the presence of one or more of the symptoms such as :

  • Any mouth ulcer that does not heal
  • Any red/white patch on the mucosa or mouth lining that does not go away
  • Lumps, swellings or thickened areas in the mouth
  • Pain or difficulty during swallowing, speaking or chewing
  • A long-lasting cough or hoarseness of voice
  • Any swelling of the jaws
  • A change in how the teeth meet or how dentures fit
  • Numbness of the lips, tongue or anywhere else in the mouth

What Are the Risk Factors for Developing Oral Cancer?

The exact cause of oral cancer is unknown. However, several risk factors or probable causes of oral cancer have been discovered which include:

  • Tobacco chewing
  • Smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipes
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet rays
  • Human papillomavirus
  • Previous history of oral cancer

What is Oral Cancer Screening?

It is a check or screening procedure performed by the family dentist in Roswell, GA that helps identify oral cancer at an early stage. The aim of oral cancer screening is an examination of the oral tissues visually and physically to check for any signs of oral cancer.

How is Oral Cancer Screening Performed?

Oral cancer screening involves the following steps:

1. A dentist will first visually check your face and neck for any swelling, lumps or discolored patches. Lumps in the neck could indicate swollen lymph nodes.

2. Next, one of our dentist Roswell, GA will visually inspect the inside of your mouth including its lining and the gums for any discolored areas, lumps, redness, ulcers or swellings. Good lighting, a dental mirror and a piece of gauze are used to aid in the examination.

3. The tongue will be checked by holding it up, pulling it out and moving it from side to side to identify any lumps or restrictions in movement.

4. The roof and floor of the mouth will also be checked for any abnormalities.

In some cases, advances screening may be performed using methods such as:

  • Tissue fluorescence
  • Oral cytology
  • Aspiration
  • Biopsy

What Are the Benefits of Oral Cancer Screening?

Screening may help detect precancerous or cancer in preliminary stages before it has spread to nearby tissues. Timely screening and detection of oral cancer enhance treatment success and recovery rates. Some precursor or early lesions may regress by reducing risk factors such as cessation of smoking or alcohol restriction.

What Happens if A Suspicious Sign is Detected?

If a suspicious sign of oral cancer is identified during screening, it is important to remain calm. Further tests will be carried out to confirm the presence of oral cancer and reach a definitive diagnosis. Most commonly, a biopsy or a sample of the suspicious area is taken and sent to a laboratory to check for the presence of cancerous cells.

Oral cancer screening can save a life! Visit https://sunshinesmilesdentistry.com/book-an-appointment/ and book an appointment today!

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Avoiding bad breath

Dentist Roswell GA Blog

How To Remove Bad Breath Forever? By your local Roswell GA Dentist

avoiding bad breath - dentist roswell ga

Is lousy breath holding you back? Bad breath is not only a reason to visit your dentist, but a significant social problem that can leave you feeling embarrassed often. One of the first things a person notices during a conversation is your smile, and soon after, your breath. Unpleasant breath odor may lead you to avoid talking to friends and colleagues.

Everyone has experienced the common ‘morning breath’ phenomenon, which is a stale odor emanating from the mouth when you wake up. That is common to most people and results from stagnant saliva resting in the mouth overnight. Morning breath odor usually disappears after tooth brushing, but lingering bad breath requires dental treatment. Why does bad breath or halitosis as it is called in dental jargon, occur? Read on to know more about what causes bad breath and what you can do to prevent it:

What Causes Bad Breath?

Dr Sachdeva, your local roswell ga dentist, says that the leading cause of bad breath is poor dental hygiene or infrequent brushing of teeth. If you eat food and do not rinse your mouth or clean your teeth afterward, food particles are retained in the mouth. Food debris stuck to the tooth surfaces or in between them decompose over time to give a foul breath. There are other reasons for bad breath as well, such as:

Medical Causes

Infections of the nose, sinuses, or throat can cause bad breath, as well as medical problems such as diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, or respiratory infections.

Gum Infections

Infected gums lead to foul mouth odor due to the buildup of bacteria in the mouth. The bacteria release compounds such as sulfur that produce a putrid smell.

Dental Decay

A decayed tooth contains microorganisms that give off bad odor to the mouth. Infection of the oral mucosa or soft tissue can also produce bad breath as bacteria stick to the soft tissues and release chemicals that smell foul.

Improperly Aligned Teeth

Teeth that are placed irregularly, filled or restored poorly create gaps where oral bacteria accumulate. Tooth brushing of irregular teeth is often complicated and leads to the development of food deposits that putrify and give off a foul odor.

Xerostomia or Dry Mouth

Some persons have a dry mouth due to various causes resulting in low levels of saliva. A dry mouth releases a foul smell in most cases.

Food and Drinks

Specific foods such as garlic, onion, spices, as well as tobacco or alcohol can give an unpleasant odor to the breath. However, the foul smell induced by food or drinks is transient and lasts for about a few hours only.

How Can I Manage Bad Breath?

Bad breath requires accurate diagnosis and treatment. Teeth cleaning at Sunshine Smiles Dentistry, local dentist in Roswell GA can help eliminate the most significant cause of bad breath by removing accumulated food deposits from the mouth. Regular tooth brushing ensures that food particles are removed regularly from the mouth. A dental check-up every six months can further ensure that any residual dental deposits are removed and foul breath is prevented.

It is also essential to get decayed teeth restored and gum infections treated before bad breath develops and interferes with your social life. Use of mouth rinses, tongue cleaning, chewing sugar-free gums, and using proper hydration can help reduce bad breath significantly. Timely dental visits can also help identify potential causes of bad breath so that you can beat the problem before it even occurs!  Visit one of our dentist roswell ga if you have any questions about halitosis.

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First signs of Gum Disease

Periodontal Disease Treatment - Roswell Dentist

Signs of Gum Disease - Dentist Roswell GA - Sunshine Smiles Dentistry Roswell GA

First Signs of Gum Disease- Sunshine Smiles Dentistry – Dentist Roswell GA

Gum disease is both preventable as well as treatable. It is essential to detect the first signs of inflamed gums as early as possible so that it may be treated. Untreated gum disease may invade deeper dental tissues such as the supporting tooth ligaments and bone. The teeth may become loose in their sockets and reach an irreversible phase of inflammation that requires complex dental management. Why wait for unfavorable consequences when you can catch gum disease right when it begins to develop by looking out for the following signs:

Bleeding Gums

Bleeding gums are the hallmark of gum disease. Bacteria adhere to tooth and gum surfaces and need to be removed regularly to ensure proper oral health. If bacteria and the layer of plaque they create are left unremoved from tooth and gum surfaces, they begin to damage the teeth and gums. Gum disease begins with a tendency of the gums to become inflamed, and bleed easily on tooth brushing or eating food.

 

Painful and Swollen Gums

Healthy gums appear pinkish and feel firm in texture. Inflamed gums gradually become painful, sore and swell up to appear reddish and feel spongy due to swelling up of the gum tissue.

Gum Recession

Deposits of food and bacteria harden to form tartar that irritates the gums. Plaque and tartar make them lose their adherence to the tooth. Gradually the gums begin to recede or move away from the tooth surfaces, resulting in progressively higher amounts of the tooth becoming visible.

Tooth Sensitivity

If you begin to encounter a sharp sensation on drinking cold or hot fluids, you could be developing gum disease. Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold perceptions interferes with the ability to enjoy food and drinks. It usually results from excessive tooth exposure varying mouth temperatures due to receding diseased gums.

Bad Breath

Bacteria inhabiting the gums and residing on tooth surfaces give off a putrid odor as they decompose food particles. Bad breath often signals gum disease and may become embarrassing socially.

 

Prevention and Treatment of Gum Disease

The simplest way to prevent gum disease is to brush and floss regularly. Routine dental visits at dentist Roswell GA, Sunshine Smiles dentistry in Roswell GA, can help detect gum disease at early stages. Gum disease should be treated before more serious complications develop, such as loose teeth, gum pockets, or medical problems such as heart disease.

The treatment of gum disease involves thorough professional dental tooth cleaning by scaling and root planning. Antibacterial mouth rinses may also be prescribed to prevent plaque buildup. Advanced gum disease may require surgical treatment, as well.

Schedule your appointment https://sunshinesmilesdentistry.com/book-an-apointment/ to contact the experts and get more detailed information about gum treatment.